A single elimination tournament is a type of competition where participants are eliminated after losing a match. Each match is a direct knockout, meaning the winner advances to the next round while the loser is out of the tournament. This format continues until only one participant remains, who is declared the champion. These tournaments are commonly used in various sports and games, such as basketball, tennis, and video gaming. They are efficient in determining a winner quickly, as each round reduces the number of competitors by half. However, this format can be unforgiving, as one loss means elimination.